Apparatus for coating and impregnating texturized yarn

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for producing a texturized, binder-containing yarn produced by applying binder material to a texturized yarn through a jet spray nozzle.

United States atet Luscher et a1.

May 1,1973

APPARATUS FOR COATING AND IMPREGNATING TEXTURIZED YARN Inventors: PaulLuscher, 1102 West Elm Street; Ben A. Hudson, 1102 Mark Drive, both ofShelby, NC. 28150; Billie W. Childers, Route 1, Box 38C, Forest City,NC. 28043 Filed: Aug. 2, 1971 Appl. No.: 168,445

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser No. 872,056, Oct. 29, 1969,Pat. No. 3,672,947.

US. Cl. ..118/325, 28/1.4, 28/75 WT Int. Cl ..B44d 1/08, D02g 3/36 Fieldof Search ..118/323, 325; 28/28,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Rindge ..28/72.6 Rylka ..118/325Marzocchi et al. ...118/325 X Kim ....28/75 WT Benson ..28/72.12 X

Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Att0rneyChish0lm & Spencer ABSTRACT Anapparatus for producing a texturized, binder-containing yarn produced byapplying binder material to a texturized yarn through a jet spraynozzle.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented May 1, 1973 3,730,137

FIG. I

APPARATUS FOR COATING AND IMPREGNATING TEXTURIZED YARN This is adivision of application Ser. No. 872,056; filed Oct. 29, 1969, now US.Pat. No. 3,672,947, granted June 27,1972.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a novel textileyarn and, in particular, to a texturized filamentary yarn treated with abinder so as to impart superior strength, stability and binderuniformity to the finished product. The present invention alsoencompasses both a novel method and apparatus for producing texturized,textile yarn products in an efficient and economic manner and at a highrate of production.

Prior to the present invention, texturized yarn containing binder wasproduced by contacting a texturized filamentary yarn with a roller orbelt applicator that transferred a liquid binder material from areservoir to the yarn. The binder material was applied to the texturizedyarn to impart strength and integrity or stability to the finishedproduct. However, a number oflimitations were inherent in employing suchprior art procedures. Among these limitations were: difficulty incontrolling the amount of binder pickup; lack of uniformity in theamount of binder applied; the limiting influence of the binderapplication technique on the overall rate of production; housekeepingproblems due to binder flyoff; detexturizing due to frictional drag ofthe yarn on the binder applicator; and constant maintenance of thebinder applicator due to binder buildup and wear of the roller or beltapplicator. The present invention corrects or substantially eliminatesthe foregoing problems by employing a unique spray technique for binderapplication. In accordance with the present invention, an economical,clean, high speed, precisely controlled method and apparatus areprovided to produce bindercontaining texturized yarns that exhibitexcellent properties of strength, binder uniformity and stability.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of thisinvention will become more apparent during the course of the followingdescription, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation illustrating apparatus for yarntexturizing and binder application within the contemplation ofthisinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. I.

Shown in the drawing are a plurality of bobbins and 12 mounted forover-end take-off of multifilament strand or yarn 14 which is to betexturized, coated and impregnated with a binder material and wound on apackage. While the drawing shows the simultaneous processing of twostrands or yarns on the same apparatus for economy of operation, it willbe understood that the invention is not so limited. Accordingly, Thefollowing description will proceed in connection with processing asingle multifilament strand 14, with the recognition that this inventionis amenable to simultaneously processing more than one such strand oryarn on the same apparatus.

As shown in the drawing, strand 14 is withdrawn from its bobbin by afeed-roll assembly 16 comprising a drive roll 18, suitably coupled forrotation to a power source (not shown), and a nip or idler roll 20journaled for rotation with its outer cylindrical surface in frictionalcontact with the outer cylindrical surface of roll 18. As shown, strand14, upon being withdrawn from its bobbin, traverses a tensioning device22, passes over a grooved guide rod 24, then follows an S shaped patharound and between rolls l8 and 20 and is introduced into a texturizingjet or nozzle 26 of any desired construction, such as those disclosed inU. S. Pat. Nos. 2,783,609, 3,328,863 and 3,381,346.

Upon leaving texturizing nozzle 26, strand 14 is then directeddownwardly and forwardly, at an angle, between an upper guide 28,located adjacent nozzle 26, and a lower guide 30, located adjacent theunderside of a take-up roll assembly 32. Strand 14 then passes in an Sshaped path around and between the drive roll 34 and the nip or idlerroll 36 that comprises take-up roll assembly 32, and is thereafterdirected by guide 38 in a horizontally disposed path to binderapplicator 40. Drive rolls 18 and 34 are driven at identical rates ofspeed. However, while the outer diameters ofidler rolls 20 and 36 arethe same, the outer diameter of drive roll 18 is larger than the outerdiameter of drive roll 34 and, as is well understood by those skilled inthe art, this difference in diameters determines the percentage ofoverfeed of strand l4 necessary to accomplish texturizing of the strand14 by texturizing nozzle 26. The percentage of overfeed can also becontrolled by using identical drive rolls and identical idler rolls forfeed and take-up, but regulating the speeds of the drive rollsindividually.

As shown, binder applicator 40 comprises an upwardly open tank orreservoir 42 and a vertically adjustable spray nozzle 44 that directs apressurized spray of binder 46 downwardly across the path of strand l4and into tank 42. Tank 42 has its opposite side walls, that intersectthe path of yarn travel, slotted at 48 and 50 to permit traverse of theyarn 14 while keeping the binder spray 46 within the confines of thetank. The bottom of tank 42 is equipped with an outlet 52 through whichexcess binder spray 46 can be directed or returned through a tube 54 tobinder reservoir 56. By means of tubes 58 and pump 60, binder withdrawnfrom binder reservoir 56 is pressurized a predetermined amount anddirected or fed to spray nozzle 44 through connecting piping 62. Piping62 is supported by a clamp 64 affixed to tank 42 so that nozzle 44 canbe vertically adjusted to the desired height perpendicular to strand 14.

The binder used for binder spray 46 can be of any desired liquidcomposition and any desired consistency or viscosity. For example,starch, oils, resins, hot melt or solvent type materials and the like inliquid form, including emulsions, suspensions, solutions and the likethereof can be used.

As binder spray 46 is directed downwardly under pressure and in aconical-shaped pattern across the path of travel of the texturizedstrand 14, the strand 14 picks up an amazingly uniform amount andsurprisingly large quantity of binder at strand speeds upwardly of 500yards per minute, and even as high as 1,000 yards per minute or higher.Moreover, as will be understood,

spray nozzle 44 is arranged to bevertically adjustable in order toassist in controlling the amount and uniformity of the binderapplication. Thus, use of the disclosed spray method of binderapplication permits adjusting the amount of application by simplychanging not only the solids of the binder, but by raising or loweringthe jet spray nozzle 44 and thereby changing the distance between themultifilament strand or strand end and the orifice of the spray nozzle.The greater the distance between the orifice of the nozzle 44 and thestrand 14, the less is the binder application thereto. Also, needless tosay, binder application can be controlled to some extent by controllingthe pressure produced by pump 60.

After binder application, strand 14 is directed to a suitable winder ortake-up device 66 where the texturized and binder coated or impregnatedstrand 14 is wound into a strand package 68. Absent auxiliary dryingmeans, the greater the distance between the binder applicator unit 40and the winder 66, the better the predrying before reaching the winder.

As mentioned above, different types of texturizing nozzles may be usedwith this invention, depending on the end product desired. As regardssingle-end texturizing, fine adjustment of jet air flow and/or air flowdirection are paramount in producing a good yarn. Also, in view of thehigh speed of strand travel, careful precision alignment of the variousrolls is important.

It is believed, however, that the spray technique of binder applicationis by far the most important aspect of this invention. By use of thedisclosed spray technique, it is possible to significantly improve thestability of texturized yarn to permit more efficient weaving. Stabilityof the final yarn is absolutely essential for a good piece of fabric. Ifno binder or insufficient binder is applied on a texturized single end,for example, it has always been found that the yarn has essentially nostability and the loopiness of the texturing will pull out with littleeffort. In a number of comparative tests with single-end textured yarnproduced in accordance with this invention and single-end textured yarnpresently available on the market, it was shown that the yarn of thisinvention exhibited from 10 to 30 per cent better strength, which ismost desirable since a single-end textured yarn has a tendency to be tooweak for good weaving.

Yarn" or strand, as the terms are used herein, are intended to includeorganic or inorganic, twisted or untwisted, continuous or staple fibrousmaterials, and, in particular, glass fibrous material.

While the present invention has been described in connection withspecific details of a certain embodiment thereof, it is not intendedthat such details act as limitations upon the scope of the inventionexcept'in sofar as set forth in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for producing a coated and impregnated texturized yarncomprising means to supply yarn from a source in a rapidly moving pathto a texturizing means, means to remove yarn from said texturizing meansafter it has been texturized, means to pass said texturized yarn aftertexturizing in a rapidly moving, substantially straight path through abinder application zone, vertically adjustable spray means positioned insaid zone above the yarn travel path, said spray means being constructedand arranged to direct under pressure a conical shaped pattern of binderdownwardly across the path of travel of said texturized yarn throughsaid zone and means to recover texturized yarn with applied binder fromsaid zone.

. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said binder application zone includesmeans to collect excess binder therein and pumping and recirculationmeans associated with said binder application zone and said adjustablespray means to provide for recirculation of excess binder from saidbinder application zone to said adjustable spray means.

Disclaimer 3,730,137.Paul Luscher and Ben A. Hudson, Shelby and Billie WChilders, Forest City, N.C. APPARATUS FOR COATING ANX IMPREGNAT- INGTEXTURIZED YARN. Patent dated May 1, 1973. Disclaimer filed Aug. 17,1983, by the assignee, PPG Industries, Inc. Hereby enters thisdisclaimer to all claims of said patent. [Official Gazette October 18,1983.]

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No-3,730-.137 Dated New 1. 1973 Inventor(s) Paul Luscher et al It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Assignee: PPG Industries, Inc. Pittsburgh, Pa.

a corporation of Pennsylvania,

Signed and s eaied this 5th Q day of March 1974. I

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLE'TCHER,-JR. c. MARSHALL DANNY Att e'sting OfficerCommissioner of Patents FORM Po-1050 (10-69) v uscoMM-oc 60376-P69 9U.S, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 2 19.9 o-zee-su,

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said binder application zoneincludes means to collect excess binder therein and pumping andrecirculation means associated with said binder application zone andsaid adjustable spray means to provide for recirculation of excessbinder from said binder application zone to said adjustable spray means.